The Press., 1887-06-30
THE LIQUOR DEALERS OF THIS TOWN.


 THE LIQUOR DEALERS OF THIS TOWN
 Whether this incidentis historic or not. it is fact that for years Wichita did not bother itself about the law, and the law did not trouble Wichita. Whisky flowed as copionsly as ever, and the pop of the pistol was 8 much more familiar sound than the voice of theSpreacher Some of the citizens now recall those vanished days with tender regret. "When I came to this town" said one veteran rustler to the Suns correspondent, 'sthe preach sung mighty small. He didn't dare own that he aOGs preach, and he never interfered with things. Now look at him l He's around with a white choker on, showing himself This ain't as it was when he had to camp outside the town until dark, and then come in shooting gun sos not to attract attention. f- .-
 The responsibility for the change lies at the door of the ''boom.'' That eagerly welcomed visitant brought money into the town and sent up the price of real estate, but it also brought swarms of strangers with sophisticated eastern ideas and hab- it's. Churches sprang up, and ministers appeared on the streets in the ordinary dress of their calling. Then temperance societies were formed, and 3 law and or der agitation was set on foot, and somc of the more timid whisky-sellers asked their customers to use the side door. Last month the mayor issued proclamation shutting up the saloons altogether, front door and side, and instructed the police to arrest any person caught iu the act of sell ing liquor after specified date. Wichita could hardly believe it's eyes. The city council at it's next meeting repealed the ordinance authorizing the mayor to close objectionable places, and passed an ordi- nance forbidding any interference on his part "with any of the business enterprises of the town" The mayor promptly sent in veto; the council hung the veto up ; and half dozen new whisky shops were opened on the main street. Then the law and order folks appealed to the state au- thorities at Topeka, and presently it was noised about that the attorney general had said he would pay the town visit and in- vestigate matters for himself.
 He was as good as his word. There was crowd at the railroad station when ] he arrived, but, though some threats had been made, not shot was fired. One by stander, who had run oyer from Fort l Dodge to see the fun, turned away in dis ] gust. ''This is the first time" he said, t'that state officer from Topeka has been chief down here. can remember the time when the governor himself would have looked like an old sieve if he had showed himself in this section. Attorney General Bradford looked over the ground, heard what citizens had to say, went back to the state capital, and made his report. Wichita wasn't left long in suspense. It woke up two weeks ago last Thursday to find itself under the state police law, and subjected to the authority of three police commissioners appointed by the executive council at Topeka. e
 Our esteemed contemporary, the Wich- ita Eagle, is very indignant. It denounces the proceedings of the state authorities as despotic and Russian. It describes the state police law as "the most infamous en. actment of modern legislation" and says the enactors never meant it to be applied outside of Wyandotte and Leavenworth City. It asserts that Wichita has been maligned by cranks, fanatics, and design ing residents of rival places. "We are nc worse, it says, than dozens of towns and cities in this state, and when if comes te whisky more drunken men can be found on the stleets of Atehison, Topeka or Law renee any day than in Wichita"
 I But our indignant contemporary has faith to believe that Wichita will weather the blast. It remarks:
 Nobody is going to deny that the act of tn, outfit will hurt Wichita, and in more thar name, but those who are counting on it hay ing the same effect that it had and is having on Wyandotte and Leavenworth, will get left Wichita ain't built that way. Of course thugs, thieves and murderers, may think tha they will find a grand opening with nev and inexperienced police force, run by mel not responsible to anybody but lot of mul let-heads at Topeka who all shook up to gether, wouldn't make more than the shadow of 8 statesman, but thieves, thugs and mur derers will simply get bounced, and by fore which will be found to be legal one, ant which will be maintained by the money o men who can't afford return of the long horn days.
 For the present, however, the 'tmullet heads seem to have got the drop, so t' speak on the frisky city upon the Arkansas